Combine ladder



April 28, 1970 W.A. LYPKO ET AL 3,508,627

COMBINE LADDER Filed Feb. 26, 1969 2 SheetsSheet l IN VENTORS WILLIAM A. LYPKO DONALD A. CALLUM BY 0 fW April 1970 w. A. LYPKO ET AL 3,508,627

COMBINE LADDER Filed Feb. 26, 1969 2 Sheets-Shea? l INVENTORS WILLIAM A. LYPKO DONALD A. McCALLUM United States Patent O.

3,508,627 COMBINE LADDER William A. Lypko, 43 Bermuda Court, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and Donald A. McCallum, 327 Wilson Ave., Burlington, Ontario, Canada Filed Feb. 26, 1969, Ser. No. 802,503 Int. Cl. E06c /04 U.S. Cl. 182-97 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ladder carried by the operators platform of a combine that can be located in either an operative or a transportposition. The apparatus includes means for locking the ladder in a selected position and release and control means convenient to the operator for changing the ladders position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates generally to harvesting machines and more particularly to a new and improved adjustable ladder for gaining access to the elevated operaors platform of a harvesting machine.

Description of the prior art The ladders for gaining access to the operators platform on most commercially available combines are rigidly secured to the platform. In order to afford easy access for the operator theseladders must extend downwardly to within step-up accessibility from the ground. In utilizing the combine for harvesting some material such as com the lower end of the ladder encounters the cornstalks and thus creates an unnecessary resistance to the movement of the combine over the field. Dragging the end of the ladder through the cornstalks is not only a waste of power but often results in damage to the ladder. Another disadvantage of the rigidly mounted ladder is that it obstructs access to mechanisms located behind the ladder. The operators platform of a combine is often located over the large drive wheels and the fixedly mounted ladder is an obstruction to the proper servicing of this wheel. Some attempts have been made to provide an access ladder that will overcome the drawbacks found in the fixedly mounted ladder. Reference may be made to the patent to Hyman No. 3,083,785 of Apr. 2, 1963 which discloses a yieldably mounted access ladder for the operators platform of a combine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The general purpose of this invention is to provide an access ladder for the operators platform of a harvesting machine which embraces all of the advantages of similarly employed ladders but can be conveniently moved to a transport position where it will not interfere with the crop, will be less susceptible to damage and will permit accessto the mechanisms behind the ladder. To attain this the present invention contemplated a pivotable connection between the ladder and the operators platform and locking means for securing the ladder in either the operative or the transport position. The invention further contemplates release means convenient to the operator for disengaging the locking means and control means for moving the ladder from one position to another. In accordance with this invention the ladder is securely held in the selected position and controls are located convenient to the operator enabling him to change the position of the ladder. The convenience of these controls is an important aspect of applicants invention.

3,508,627 Patented Apr. 28, 1970 An object of the present invention is the provision of an access ladder for a harvesting machine that can be easily and conveniently moved by the operator from an operative position to a transport position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings, wherein like. reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a combine or harvesting machine designated 10 having drive wheels 11, a header 12, and an elevated operators platform 13. The platform 13 has an access side 14 to which the ladder 30 is connected.

As can be best seen in FIGURE 2 a stationary ledge 20 is secured to the access side 14 of the pjlatform at a level such that the operator can step up from the ledge 20 to the upper surface of the platform 13. The ledge 20 has an edge 21 which has notches 22 and 23 formed therein.

The ladder 30 which can be best seen in FIGURE 2 includes a pair of side rails 31, a top bar 32, a bottom rung 33 (see FIGURE 1), an intermediate rung 34, and a shelf 36. The shelf 36 serves as a third step in the ladder and has a back 37. The side rails 31 are connected to the top bar 32 by a pair of ofiset portions 40. As illustrated the top bar 32, the offset portions 40, the side rails 31, and the bottom rung 33 can be formed from a single piece of tubular material. The shelf 36 and the back 37 can be formed of a piece of sheet material. A pivot shaft 38 is rigidly connected to the ladder and has a free end portion extending toward the operators platform 13. The shaft 38 also has a free end portion extending in the opposite direction which is connected by a support 39 to the shelf 36 to thus provide additional support for the shaft 38.

The ladder 30- is connected to the access side 14 of the platform 13 by a generally horizontal pivotable connection designated 50. The pivotable connection 50 defines an axis XX about which the ladder can pivot relative to the platform 13. A first journal 51 dimensioned to pivotably support the shaft 38 is secured to the under sruface of the ledge 20'. A second journal 52 also dimensioned to pivotably support the shaft 38 is secured to the under surface of the operators platform 13. For a purpose that shall be further discussed there is a rigid stop designated 53 projecting outwardly from one end of the second journal 52. The first and second journals 51 and 52 are spaced from each other to receive a sleeve 81 which constitutes a part of the control means 80.

The ladder 30' is designed to be supported in either the operative position as shown in FIGURE 2 or the transport position as shown in FIGURE 1 and locking means 60 are provided to secure the ladder in either of these positions. The locking means 60 include a pair of supports 61 secured to the under surface of the ledge 20. The supports 61 each have a slide surface 62 upon which is slidably supported a bar 65. There are a pair of lugs 66 protruding upwardly from the bar 65. Each of the lugs 66 has a bent or offset portion extending in the same longitudinal direction along bar 65. The bar 65 with its lugs 66 are dimensioned such that it can freely slide along the slide surfaces 62 beneath the under surface of the ledge 20. An ear 67 extends upwardly from the bar 65 and a spring biasing means 68 is connected to the ear 67 and to one of the supports 61. The spring 68 biases the bar 65 in the same longitudinal direction that the offset portion of lugs 66 extend. A pair of pins 63 and 64 are secured to the top bar 32 of the ladder 30 and are located on the top bar such that they are aligned with notches 22 and 23 respectively.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 when the ladder 30 is in the operative position pins 63 and 64 are located within the notches 22 and 23 respectively and the bar 65 is biased by the spring 68 toward the left such that the offset portions of lugs 66 overlie the pins 63 and 64. Thus clockwise rotation of the ladder about axis XX is prevented by interference between pin 64 and lug 66- and counterclockwise rotation of the ladder is prevented by the interference between the other lug 66 and the pin 63. Thus it is seen that when the ladder 30 is in the operative position, the locking means 60 prevent its rotation in either a clockwise or a counterclockwise direction.

It should be understood that the notches 22 and 23 and also the pins 63 and 64 are located at an equal distance from the axis XX. This is important because the pin 63 and one of the lugs 66 are utilized in locking the ladder in the transport position. In moving the ladder from the operative position shown in FIGURE 2 to the transport position shown in FIGURE 1, the bar 65 is moved toward the rear of the harvesting machine a distance to eliminate the interference between the lugs 66 and the pins 63 and 64 thus permitting pivotable movement of the ladder about axis X-X. The ladder is pivoted in the counterclockwise direction until the edge or projection 83 of arm 82 engages the above referred to rigid stop 53. At this point further counterclockwise rotation of the ladder is impossible. Furthermore, at this point pin 63 has moved out of notch 22 and into notch 23 and thus when the spring means 68 pulls the bar 65 to the left the lug 66 will overlie the pin 63 thus preventing clockwise rotation of the ladder about the axsis XX. Thus it is seen that when the ladder is placed in the transport position and the locking means 60 is engaged rotation of the ladder in either the clockwise or the counterclockwise direction is prevented.

Shifting of the bar 65 from the engaged to the disengaged position is brought about by the release means 70. The release means 70 includes a pivot bar 71 secured to the bar 65 and extending transverse thereto. A bar 73 having an offset portion 74 is supported by a journal 72 from the under surface of the ledge 20.

The offset portion 74 has an aperture 75 formed therein to pivotally receive the free end of bar 71. The pivotable axis of bar 73 is generally parallel to the axis XX and the other end of bar 73 extends to a point below the operators platform 13. A radially extending arm 76 is secured to this other end of bar 73 and is connected to a rod 77 by a pivotable connection 78. Rod 77 extends upwardly through an aperture 15 formed in the operators platform 13.

As can be best seen in FIGURES 4 and when the operator pushes or steps down upon the rod 77, it will cause bar 65 to be shifted longitudinally against the action of the spring 68 and thus free the ladder for pivotable movement about axis XX.

The control means designated 80 enables the operator from his platform to pivot the ladder about its axis XX. The control means 80 includes a sleeve 81 rigidly connected to shaft 38 by a locking bolt 93. The sleeve 81 fits between the first and second journals 51 and 52. In mounting the ladder 30 on the operators platform 13 the sleeve 81 would be aligned between the first and second journals 51 and 52 and the shaft 38 inserted through these aligned members. The sleeve 81 would then be secured by the locking bolt 93 in its proper position on the shaft .4 38. A radially extending arm 82 carried by the sleeve 81 has an edge 83 that functions as a projection to engage the rigid stop 53. The free end of the arm 82 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 84. The other end of link 84 is pivotally connected to a first offset portion 86 of a rod 85. The rod has a second offset portion 88 that forms a pivotable connection 87 with a lever 90. The lever 90 is supported on the platform 13 by a pivotable connection 89. A pivot mount 91 protrudes upwardly from the upper surface of the platform 13 and functions to provide a pivotable connection 92 for the lever 90. The lever 90 extends through a slot 16 formed in the surface of the operators platform. The lever 90 is located such that it can be conveniently grasped by the operator.

We claim:

1. In a harvesting machine having an elevated operators platform, said platform having an access side, a ladded carried by said platform and movable between an operative and a transport position, said ladder when in the operative position extends downwardly from said access side, a horizontal pivotal connection for mounting said ladder on said platform, the axis of said pivotal connection extending substantially normal to said access side, locking means biased to secure said ladder in either the operative or the transport position, release means located convenient to the operator for releasing said locking means and permitting pivotal movement of said ladder about said pivotal connection, control means located on said platform through which the operator can apply a torque to said ladder causing it to rotate about said pivotal connection.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said locking means includes a pair of pins each displaced'from said axis an equal distance and projecting from said ladder toward said platform, shiftable retaining lugs supported by said platform and biased toward the locked position,

said pins and lugs located relative to each other such that when the ladder is in the operative position and the lugs are in the locked position, the lugs will function to prevent pivotal movement of the ladder in either direction and when the ladder is in the transport position movement toward the operative positions is prevented.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein said lugs are carried on a bar that is slidably mounted on said platform, and said release means being connected to said bar such that the actuation of the release means by the operator causes movement of the bar against the force biasing the lugs toward their operative position.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein said pivotal connection includes a rigid stop supported by said platform and a projection supported by said ladder, said rigid stop and said projection arranged to interfere with each other when the ladder is moved to the transport position thus preventing pivotal movement of said ladder beyond this position.

5. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said horizontal pivotable connection includes a pivot shaft carried by said ladder, a pair of aligned journals spaced from each other and secured to said platform, said journals adapted to receive and pivotably support said pivot shaft, a sleeve adapted to be secured to said pivot shaft between said pair of aligned journals.

6. The invention as set forth in claim 5 wherein said control means includes a radially extending arm connected to said sleeve and operating mechanisms con nected to said arm enabling the operator to exert a force on said arm to thus rotate the ladder between the operative and the transport positions. I

7. The invention as set forth in claim 2 wherein said horizontal pivotable connection includes a pivot shaft carried by said ladder, a pair of aligned journals spaced from each other and secured to said platform, said journals adapted to receive and pivotably support said pivot shaft, a sleeve adapted to be secured to said pivot shaft between said pair of aligned journals.

8. The invention as set forth in claim 7 wherein said control means includes a radially extending arm connected to said sleeve and operating mechanisms connected to said arm enabling the operator to exert a force in said arm to thus rotate the ladder between the operative and the transport positions.

9. The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein said horizontal pivotable connection includes a pivot shaft carried by said ladder, a pair of aligned journals spaced from each other and secured to said platform, said journals adapted to receive and pivotably support said pivot shaft, a sleeve adapted to be secured to said pivot shaft between said pair of aligned journals.

10. The invention as set forth in claim 4 wherein said horizontal pivotable connection includes a pivot shaft References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,967,584 1/1961 Westerlund 18297 2,999,556 9/1961 Horne l8297 3,190,392 6/1965 Ashton 18297 3,232,376 2/1966 Lucas l8297 REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner US. Cl, X.R, 1821 15 

